DeSoto deputies put on leave amid beating claims

Sheriff examines case of inmate who says he was assaulted at county jail.

By LEE WILLIAMS

DeSoto County Sheriff William P. Wise has put two corrections deputies on paid leave because of allegations that they may have beaten 43-year-old inmate Jody Holland.

The FBI announced Tuesday that a federal complaint has been filed with their Tampa office by Holland's family. An agency spokesman said the FBI would determine whether any federal laws may have been broken.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is already investigating the alleged abuse.

Wise said he invited FDLE to assist his detectives out of concern “for the integrity of the investigation.”

Meanwhile, a civil rights group is calling on the FBI to take charge of the various investigations, rather than allowing state or county officials.

Wise said Wednesday he placed corrections deputies Steve Rizza and Vincent Carlucci on administrative leave until the various examinations are concluded.

He also said he expects an FBI agent to arrive sometime today, and that he “absolutely” will cooperate with federal and state investigators.

Holland says DeSoto deputies beat him on three separate occasions, slamming his head into a concrete wall, punching him in the face and chest and choking him nearly unconscious.

He has since been moved to Hardee County.

A circuit court judge denied a request from his attorney to move Holland to the Sarasota County jail.

DeSoto sheriff's officials first said they were unaware of the allegations until contacted last week by the Herald-Tribune — even though much of Holland's head was covered with dark purple bruises.

Sheriff's officials at first denied that any staff member used force on Holland, but started their own investigation after being contacted by the newspaper.

The Sheriff's Office has not yet complied with a public records request for video of the alleged assaults.

“There is some video of the area, but you can't actually see where the alleged incident took place,” Wise said Wednesday. “There is no video of any alleged acts.”

'Good old boy' charges

Holland, who has repeatedly complained of crippling headaches, was taken Tuesday for medical aid.

Wise said he ordered his staff to get Holland medical care after reading news accounts of his complaints.

“I hadn't heard that before,” the sheriff said.

Holland's family was cautiously optimistic about the sheriff's recent moves.

“I'm pleased that the Sheriff's Office is taking corrective action, after the violence that has occurred by their deputies,” said Jody's sister Tanya Holland. “I hope that going forward, as more facts come to light, the public will be kept informed. By bringing this situation to light, we can keep this from happening to other innocent people.”

Charles Smith, president of the Manatee-Sarasota Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, said his group has been “monitoring” the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office for two years.

“I haven't seen a beating like that since the 1960s civil rights movement,” he said.

Smith said his SCLC chapter will be calling on the FBI to take charge of the investigations.

“They need to take the lead role, not the state,” Smith said. “We will reach out to his attorney and his family. We are going to make sure this does not get covered up. We expect the worst — that the allegations are true. It's a ‘good old boy' system out there.”

The sheriff disagreed.

“I'd like to see the facts they're basing that on,” Wise said. “To my knowledge, that's not correct.”

The claims

DeSoto County deputies first arrested Holland on April 21 for allegedly battering his girlfriend, Christine Routson, 51, a nurse who works in the DeSoto County jail.

Holland denies the charges.

He said the first of three assaults by DeSoto deputies occurred in the agency's booking room.

Holland spent the night in jail after that April arrest and was later released subject to a domestic violence injunction that ordered him to stay away from Routson and not attempt contact.

But Routson has alleged that Holland violated this court order on at least three separate occasions, an allegation that Holland denies.

Routson declined an interview request.

Holland's family say they think Routson is manipulating the legal system. Holland was arrested May 25 for violating the injunction and taken to the DeSoto jail, where he claims the more serious assaults began.

Holland and his family have said they have little faith in an investigation of DeSoto County deputies being conducted by DeSoto County detectives.

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